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Chapter 006: One More Win
One More Win (一勝, Ichikatsu) is the sixth chapter of the Heartz Journey Arc in the Roads to Regional Saga. After a seemingly devastating series of attacks from Bull, Lowen has launched a counter attack to his opponent's surprise. Could this be Lowen's much needed victory? Or will it slip between his fingers? Part 1. An Angry Bull The crowd cheered loudly, Aeben once again jumping for joy as Rubin carefully watched his nephew. Lowen, reinvigorated by Ever Legend, stood at the center of the arena, eyes trained on Bull who was slowly raising himself to his feet. Lowen had a stern expression on his face, muscles bulged on his arms. Strong Heartz is an aspect of Ever Legend that enhances Lowen's strength and punching power to extreme levels, but his lack of full control only allows a portion of this increase for a short period of time. With it activated, Lowen means business and can't afford to waste any more time. "Son of a bitch." Bull muttered to himself and spit to the side. He rubbed his left red cheek and stared angrily at Lowen. "You think I couldn't take a punch?" Lowen said nothing but his Drive spoke volumes. Even though the crowd couldn't see it, it could be felt throughout the arena. An intensity that hit Bull and caused him to stagger back a bit, an sense of fear overcoming him. Bull did his best to keep his limbs from shaking, and swallowed a hard breath. Like an animal, Bull charged at Lowen with a punch and threw it down at him just like before. Only this time, Lowen caught it with his bare hand and stopped it immediately. Shocking both Bull and the crowd. Lowen pulled him closer and drove a fist into the stomach of Bull, causing him fold forward gasping for air. Lowen let go of Bull's fist and used his free hand to punch Bull's right cheek, dropping him to the sand. The sound of the punches were like metal hitting metal, ringing in the air. Stunned, Bull didn't immediately get up. Stars floated in his eyes. Lowen reached down, grabbed Bull's ankle with both hands and with all his might spun the nearly 8 foot, 400lb giant through the air as if he were a ragdoll. Bull howled and the crowd Ooo-ed and Aaah-ed at Lowen's strength. The young fighter released him and sent Bull flying across the arena, bouncing off the sand and smashing against a set of large rocks near where the water met the land. With each attack, Lowen's Drive flared out, radiating around him as yellow light. With each attack, his power grew, getting stronger. Bull, once again struggled to his feet, staggering on his feet and then landing on his ass. He shook his head a few times and grunted. Lowen deactivated Strong Heartz, letting his muscles relax and the power to equally distribute throughout his body. Rubin half smiled, "Good boy." He whispered to himself and Aeben questioned what he meant. "Your brother's learning how to use Ever Legend in bursts as opposed to keeping it active for a long period of time. This allows him to keep consistent in energy output without it overtaxing his body. By using this method, he can switch between different forms without the prerequisite of waiting too long." Lowen brought a leg back and began tapping it, preparing to use Fast Heartz once again. All the time maintaining a serious expression. He crouched, leaned forward, and let his Drive power flow through his legs. Fast Heartz allows for instant acceleration in speed and enhanced reflexes. Before Bull had a chance to regain his senses, Lowen fired himself at him with a fist ready to strike. "Got you." Bull said and threw a punch to intercept Lowen just as he entered arm's reach. To his surprise, Lowen used his new leg power to leap over the punch, watching it harmlessly pass underneath him, flipped in the air and kicked Bull at the side of his head, staggering him once more. In a fit of rage, Bull lashed out with a series of heavy handed punches and Lowen weaved through them with ease. The crowd was standing on their feet, cheering and screaming, Aeben and Rubin watching closely. While using Fast Heartz, Lowen moved like a blur around Bull, disorienting the mighty giant and further angering him. Bull reared back, roaring, and drove a final fist down at Lowen and struck the ground with such force it blew a thick ring of sand outward and upward like a geyser. Lowen reappeared some distance away, completely unharmed. The cloud of sand dispersed violently with Bull completely shrouded in purple energy. "ENOUGH!" He screamed with his fists at his side, veins pulsing across his arms, neck and head. Staring with rage-filled eyes, Bull threatened Lowen. "I'm going to cripple you like your old man." Bull's body began to swell, growing larger and more muscular. His clothes tightened as his body expanded, the straps of his breastplate snapped like gunshots and his shirt tore into pieces. Lowen stepped back and raised his hands in a defensive manner while watching Bull grow nearly twice in size. The crowd grew silent once again, astounded by what they were witnessing, while Aeben shrunk back behind the wall so that only the top of his head and eyes were visible. Rubin continued to watch the match carefully without saying anything. As he continued to activate the full power of his Gear, Matador, Bull's boots were the next to break apart while the bottom of his cargo pants split up the shins and stop just above the knees. With every inch he grew, his Drive increased, venting it in waves of pressure that stirred the sand beneath his feet, causing wind to blow all around him. The waves pulled back, as if intimidated by Bull's newly unleashed power. Muscles bulging throughout his entire body, Bull's head cartoonishly small compared the rest of him. Lowen was now standing in the shadow of this true giant. Part 2. Taking the Bull by the Horns After Bull reached the limit of his new form, he let his muscles relax and exhaled. His breath visible as it left his mouth. The sand around him settled. Bull examined his arms and bare chest, admiring his appearance. He flexed his muscles and grinned. "Been awhile since I've had to go all out. I'll give you that." He said to Lowen. Lowen remained at a distance, his hands up. Aeben trembled, even if he was standing behind the shield. "Is that his Gear?" He asked his uncle. Rubin didn't take his sights off of Lowen and Bull. "Yeah. That's Matador. But I don't remember him changing form. It only every increased his strength and durability. He's definitely omitted information from the GIFL." Bull held his arms up, still flexing. His biceps were almost the size of Lowen's upper body. Bull reached down tone of the rocks nearby and picked up the closest one. His fingers dug into its side and lifted it above his head effortlessly. He bounced it in his hands a few times while looking at Lowen and then launched it at the smaller fighter. Lowen, with Fast Heartz still active, dodged it quickly and the boulder skidded across the sand. Bull reached down and began hurling the remainder of the pile at Lowen, whom blurred around some of them, leaping over the others. The last one forcing him to turn his back to Bull. "Try dodging this?!" Bull exclaimed and when Lowen turned around the largest boulder of the stack was already above him, ready to crush the young fighter like a bug. Lowen immediately switched to Strong Heartz, a surge of power running through his arms, and with steely determination thrusted a fist to meet the projectile head on. It collided against the rock, cracked its surface and then exploded into tiny pieces of debris that rained down around him. Bull's angered boiled and steam shot out from his nostrils. Through clenched teeth he yelled, "FULL GEAR: RAGING BULL!" His Drive erupted, unrestrained as is with using Full Gear. It is a method of channeling a fighter's full power into a single technique, one that can decide the fate of a battle. His skin burned red with steam emitting from its pores. Lowen instantly disappeared from his location, leaving behind a burst of sand in his wake. He reappeared directly in front of Bull, right arm pulled back, muscles flexed, and the power of his Drive focused into his fist. "STRONG HEARTZ..." Bull couldn't react fast enough. His own muscles too big and clunky. All his power focused on increasing raw strength that it severely reduced his speed and reflexes. Lowen's fist flew straight and true, aimed directly at Bull's midsection. His determination to see the man mocking his family's name was all he thought. All around him the world was silent, as if it were just him and his opponent. Lowen knew this was it, the last attack he would need to get into the regionals. To get the money needed for Aeben. The first step at becoming the next GIFL Champion. He wouldn't let anything stop him. And in one final moment, he roared, "HEAVY KNUCKLE!" His right foot dug itself firmly into the sand as his right fist simultaneously collided with Bull's stomach, releasing a wave of force upon contact, dome shaped that pushed the sand outward. Bull's eyes bulged from their sockets and his jaw dropped. Lowen continued to roar, digging his fist further into his opponent's abdomen, and then launched the giant one more time through the beaten shipwreck behind him, causing the entire structure to explode while Bull's body skipped across the beach and landed in the sea hard, the water shooting upward like another geyser. When the waves settled, Bull's now deflated body floated there still and quiet. Lowen standing there with his arm stretched out. The crowd quiet, along with Aeben and Rubin. Then a loud noise buzzed, signifying the match over with Lowen victorious. It took a moment for it to register to everyone, but once it did, they all erupted in cheers and clapping. Aeben hopping on his feet, unable to contain himself and hugged his uncle tightly around the waist. Rubin stood there and nodded Lowen with that half smile, as if saying "You did good." Part 3. Another Hero or Another Opponent? Somewhere deep in the western forests of the Julian Region in a small clearing is a man standing atop a boulder half submerged in water, sitting in a pond at the base of a small waterfall. His green hair moving softly as mist floats around him. Shirtless, he stands there with his arms up and stretched out in front of him, one arm bent slightly while the other extended further. Hands open and fingers pointing forward. He faces the waterfall, his eyes fixed on a spot within the moving water. Across his back is a large colored tattoo of fierce beasts interlocked in battle with each other, a wicked scar splits the image diagonally. There's a stillness in the air, the only sounds are the water and birds chirping in the distance. The sun is high in the air, the sun's rays reflecting off the surface of the pond. Small coy fish stir underneath, swimming around, nipping at whatever they think is food. It is a serene image, peaceful. Something Niko appreciates, untainted by technology. He breathes slowly, taking in the smell of still water and trees, feeling the mist from the waterfall running over his skin, cooling him. His muscles are relaxed, feeling a level of weightlessness as he centers himself, both body and mind. His thoughts unknown. He slides his front leg forward slightly, raising himself to the balls of his feet. His Drive begins to flow harder throughout his body as he crouches on the boulder. Niko closes his eyes, breathing steadily, his chest expanding with each deep pull of air. The water ripples around him, in perfect rings expanding from the base of the exposed boulder. The fish swim away quickly, startled. The birds quiet. The mist swirls at his feet and around his entire body. Suddenly, Niko shoots upward with such force that the water is pushed away from the boulder. He releases an uppercut as he flies up along the waterfall, ferocious wind striking the surface and parting like an invisible knife. He moves with incredible speed and the water explodes at the edge up the cliff above, it spiraling around Niko's body as he soared above the treeline. His eyes fixed at the sky above him, looking past the clouds, his fist high in the air. His stare was as if he were looking for something beyond the sky itself and he moved closer to it. But then he stopped and began to fall back to earth. He landed gracefully on the boulder and entered his previous stance once again. The waterfall reformed and hit the pond once again, releasing more mist and stirring the water. After a few moments the birds continued chirping and the fish stirred. Niko stood there in his stance, his breathing steady and his eyes fixed at the same spot as before. Chapter Details Characters *Lowen Heartz *Aeben Heartz *Rubin Heartz *Bull *Niko Gears Used *'Ever Legend' (エバー・レジェンド, Ebā Rejendo) *'Matador' (マタドール, Matadōru) Techniques Used *'Strong Heartz' (強肩・ヒアトズ (ストロング・ヒアトズ), Sutorongu Hiatozu) *'Fast Heartz' (脚式迅速・ヒアトズ (ファースト・ヒアトズ), Fāsuto Hiatozu) *'Strong Heartz: Heavy Knuckle' (ヘビー・ナックル, Hebī Nakuru) *'Raging Bull' (レイジング·ブル, Reining Buru) Abilities Used *Drive *Full Gear